Corning Incorporated says its technology played a vital role in capturing the first images released by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope earlier this week.
The telescope caught the faintest objects ever observed in the infrared, explained NASA in a July 13 release.
The above image shows one of the thousands of galaxies captured in Webb’s First Deep Field.
The $10 billion telescope- which has already made history by capturing the deepest views of the far universe to date- is equipped with mirrors made by Corning Inc., announced the company on Wednesday, July 13.
President Joe Biden said the new image shows America “can go places no one has ever gone before” during a live unveiling of the image at the White House on Monday, July 11.
More: Hochul announces $139 million investment to grow Corning Inc.’s operations in Fairport and Gates
Mirrors on James Webb Space Telescope made by Corning Incorporated
The JWST is made up of three telescopes, each featuring mirrors made by Corning Inc., explained the company in a statement on July 13.
“Corning’s Keene, New Hampshire facility engineered and manufactured key optical instruments for the JWST,” said Corning Inc. spokesperson Gabrielle Bailey. “These vital components help point and stabilize the entire telescope platform for data collection that enables astronomers to determine the age and chemical mixture of distant objects.”
Bailey said the JWST will not orbit the Earth like its predecessor the Hubble. Instead, the new telescope will orbit the sun, 1 million miles away.
More: Cornell graduate student invents CO2 filter that could help combat climate change (video)
NY company making optics tech for outer space since 1935
Notably, Corning Inc.’s optics technologies have aided space research since before NASA was founded.
“We’ve supported the aerospace industry since its earliest days by creating custom optical components, and today, our technologies are critical to the data and image capture by the most impressive space telescope in the world. We’re honored to celebrate this milestone alongside NASA,” said David Meis, the business director for Corning Advanced Optics.
The optics technology company created the 200-inch mirror for the Hale Telescope in 1935, Bailey noted.
For more information on Corning Inc.’s history, click here.
Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA and STScl
To learn more about the James Webb Space Telescope, visit this NASA webpage.
Visit this webpage to view additional images captured by the JWST.
